Bowling score computer including programming means

ABSTRACT

A bowling score computing system adapted to permit members of a bowling team to bowl simultaneously on two lanes by means of a separate computation system for each lane, a main programming means for each of the computation systems for programming the entry of pinfall information thereto irrespective of the lane at which the pinfall information originates and an auxiliary programming means associateable with either of the computation systems for programming entry of pinfall information into one of the means when members of a single team are bowling simultaneously on two lanes.

United States Patent [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,590,444 3/1952 Millman et a1 ..(273/54(C)UX) 3,124,355 3/1964 Mentzeret al 273/54(C) 3,184,583 5/1965 Bawtinheimer 273/54(C) 3,310,659 3/1967Apostle et al 273/54(C)X Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle A rtorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT: A bowling scorecomputing system adapted to permit members of a bowling team to bowlsimultaneously on two lanes by means of a separate computation systemfor each lane, a main programming means for each of the computationsystems for programming the entry of pinfall information theretoirrespective of the lane at which the pinfall information originates andan auxiliary programming means associateable with either of thecomputation systems for programming entry of pinfall information intoone of the means when members of a single team are bowlingsimultaneously on two lanes.

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1. In a team bowling score computing system: computing means associatedwith each of a pair of alleys and each of a pair of teams for computingthe score of a bowling game in response to pinfall information resultingfrom the rolling of balls by each of a plurality of players on each teamduring successive scoring frames, successive scoring frames for theplayers of each team being completed in alternate alleys, a mainprogramming means associated with each of said computing means andserving to program the entry of information therein whereby pinfallinformation for each player of a team is entered into the correctcomputing means at the correct frame position irrespective of from whichalley the pinfall information originates, and auxiliary programmingmeans adapted to be associated with either of said computing means andserving to program the entry of information into the same computingmeans when a team is bowling in both alleys.
 2. A team bowling scorecomputing system as in claim 1 wherein each of said computing meansadditionally includes means for successively entering information into aplurality of registers each corresponding to a player, and memory meansfor remembering the next player register in normal player sequence. 2.providing for bowling by players on one team on one lane for one framewhile players on the other team bowl the same frame on the other lane,following which the players of said one team bowl the next frame on saidother lane and the players of said other team bowl the next frame onsaid one lane;
 2. providing for bowling by players on one team on onelane for one frame while players on the other team bowl the same frameon the other lane, following which the players of said one team bowl thenext frame on said other lane and the players of said other team bowlthe next frame on said one lane;
 3. including means controlling thepinfall detection means and computing means for supplying pinfall valuesfrom the two lanes to the storage means of players of one team; and
 3. Ateam bowling score computing system as in claim 1 in which said main andauxiliary programming means include means for providing an indication ofthe player and alley sequence for the players of each team.
 3. includingmeans controlling the pinfall detecting means and both said computingmeans for supplying the pinfall values from the two lanes substantiallysimultaneously to either one of said computer means and thus to theassociated storage means for the players of one team; and
 4. A teamscoring computing system as in claim 1 including additionally meanssettable to bypass a bowler, and manually operable means for entering abypassed bowler''s frame score in the correct frame position when thebowler returns.
 4. enabling the players of one team to start asucceeding frame on the other lane when players of the same team arestill completing a previous frame on one lane where players of the otherteam have completed the previous frame on the other lane, said apparatusfurther including means associated respectively with each lane forreceiving pinfall values from the detection means for the correspondinglane and storing the pinfall values after loss of pinfall information bythe detection means and before use of the information in computing, bothsaid computing means being adapted to receive said pinfall signals fromeither of said receiving and storing means, said programming meanscontrolling each of said receiving and storing means to cause each ofsaid receiving and storing means to selectively supply pinfall values toboth said computing means.
 4. enabling the players of one team to starta succeeding frame on the other lane when players of the same team arestill completing a previous frame on one lane where players of the otherteam have completed the previous frame on the other lane, saidprogramming means including first means for directing the pinfall valuesfor one lane from the pinfall detection means associated with that laneto the computing means, second means for overriding said first directingmeans and for directing the pinfall values for the other lane from thepinfall detection means associated with that lane to the computingmeans, said second directing means being alternatingly activated aftereach alternate scoring frame and deactivated after each other scoringframe.
 5. A team score computing system as in claim 4 wherein said lastnamed means includes means for indicating the correct frame and alley.6. A team bowling score computing system as in claim 1 including meansfor controlling the main programming unit of said team to take over fromthe auxiliary programming unit when the team completes a frame.
 7. In ateam bowling score computing system, computing means associated witheach team for computing the score of a bowling game in response topinfall information resulting from the rolling of balls by each of aplurality of players on each team during successive scoring frames,successive scoring frames for each player of each team being bowled inalternate alleys, means for detecting the pinfall resulting from therolling of balls and forming a signal representative of the pinfall,programming means associated with each alley serving to program theentry of pinfall information for each player of a team into hiscomputing means for his respective frame irrespective of the alley oforigin of the information, and an auxiliary programming means under thecontrol of either one of said programming means to assume programmiNgwhen the players on one team are bowling in both alleys simultaneouslyto program the entry of pinfall information for each player into hiscomputing means.
 8. A system as in claim 7 wherein said programmingmeans and auxiliary programming means provide an indication of thecorrect bowling position for the bowlers.
 9. A system as in claim 7including means for transferring information from the auxiliaryprogramming mans to the correct programming means when the team hascompleted bowling on one alley.
 10. In an apparatus for keeping bowlingscores for a plurality of bowlers on each of a pair of teams bowling ona pair of lanes in a game where the bowlers of one team normally bowlone frame on one lane while the bowlers of the other team bowl the sameframe on the other lane and then the teams switch lanes, in combination:a. pinfall detecting means associated with each lane for detectingpinfall and supplying pinfall values following the rolling of each ballon each lane; b. a pair of means, one for each team, responsive topinfall values supplied by the detecting means for computing successiveframe-by-frame cumulative score values for each of the bowlers on theassociated team including cumulative score value storage meanscorresponding respectively to each of the bowlers on the team, each ofsaid computing means including computing elements operable during thecomputation of the score of a bowling game for each member of the teamand common to each member of the team; and c. programming means:
 11. Inan apparatus for keeping bowling scores for a plurality of bowlers oneach of a pair of teams bowling on a pair of lanes in a game where thebowlers of one team normally bowl one frame on one lane while thebowlers of the other team bowl the same frame on the other lane and thenthe teams switch lanes, in combination: a. pinfall detection meansassociated with each lane for detecting pinfall and supplying pinfallvalues following the rolling of each ball on each lane; b. meansresponsive to pinfall values supplied by the detection means forcomputing successive frame-by-frame cumulative score values for each ofthe bowlers including cumulative score value storage means correspondingrespectively to each of the bowlers; c. programming means:
 12. A teambowling scoring system according to claim 1 wherein each of saidcomputing means includes elements operable during the computation of thescore of a bowling game for each member of the team and common to eachmember of the team.
 13. A team bowling scoring system according to claim7 wherein each of said computing means includes elements operable duringthe computation of the score of a bowling game for each member of theteam and common to each member of the team.